Over the last 18 months, it’s safe to say that we have all spent more time in our kitchens. This space may serve as a home office or classroom, as well as a kitchen and eating area. Spending that much time in one space probably has you daydreaming of change!
Have you added pins to your Pinterest board for your dream kitchen renovation project? Have you organized the pantry one too many times?
We too! While kitchen renovations can be a popular choice for homeowners, there are alternatives to a complete renovation. That’s why we sat down with Marianne Egbers of the locally owned and operated ShelfGenie, to get the latest on how we can better organize our kitchens.
After 10 years of working in kitchen renovations, Egbers has designed and managed dozens of projects. “A full remodel can be a great solution, but it often faces delays with unexpected supply issues, permits, and other complications. Plus, eating out can be difficult and more expensive than it was previously. Sometimes it’s better to work with what you have in your kitchen.
“Start with a tour around your kitchen,” advises Egbers. “By putting together a list of what works and what doesn’t work, you are ready to take the next step in making your kitchen a stress free zone.”
Here are a few questions to ask yourself to put the joy back into your kitchen, by making the most of your current space.
Question 1: What Equipment or Appliances Do You Use the Most?
You may have seven to eight skillets in your cabinets, but are you really using them all? “Don’t be afraid to store cooking equipment that you don’t use outside the kitchen,” advise Egbers. “It allows you to maximize the space in the kitchen and pantry for what you use most. Decluttering will save you money on your shopping budget, because it prevents you from buying too much of an item; but it also saves you time from rummaging through the pots, pans, spices, etc., to find what you are looking for in meal preparation.”
Question 2: What Is the Best Location for Your Items?
Cooking goes more smoothly when all of the items that you need to use together are stored closely to one another—for example, spices. Once you have organized the spices, make sure they are close to the stove and at arm’s length. That prevents you from leaving the stove area and digging into the back of the pantry or closet. If you are baking cookies, it’s a good idea to store your cookie sheets vertically or horizontally under your oven, for ease of use.
Question 3: Where Do You Have Wasted Space?
Identify the areas that you feel you are not using to their fullest potential. For the pantry, there are solutions that you can implement, based on how you cook, to make it easier to sort and find items you use the most. Cabinet shelving is a great way to maximize the cabinets that you currently have in the locations closest to your stove and oven.
Once you have identified the areas of the kitchen that could use the most improvement in functionality and organizing, the rest is just fun and games! Many of the upcoming design trends for the kitchen focus on adding areas for storage and organization with a POP of color! And the less time you spend looking for the right pan or spice, the more time you can spend trying all of the new recipes you find on TikTok. Bon appétit!
For more information on solutions to improve your kitchen’s functionality, contact ShelfGenie at www.ShelfGenie.com/Locations/Cincinnati or 937-998-4173.
Common Kitchen Frustrations
1. Pantry
2. Cabinets
3. Spice racks
Kitchen Trends (put where it says Chef Faves)
1. Brightly colored cabinets
2. Kitchen plate racks
3. Open/floating shelving
4. Kitchen larders
5. Colorful pantries
“There are a few simple ways to influence your daily kitchen routine so that when you cook in a beautiful, well-designed space, you get more excited about the process of cooking!”
